The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Double Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens walleriana, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Cameo Lavender.
The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Cartago, Costa Rica. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact Double Impatiens cultivars with large fully double flowers, excellent branching, and interesting flower and foliage colors.
The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of the Inventor""s proprietary Impatiens walleriana selection code name DB Lavender, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent, with the Inventor""s proprietary Impatiens walleriana selection code name SD White, not patented, as the female, or seed parent. The cultivar Cameo Lavender was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Cartago, Costa Rica.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Cartago, Costa Rica, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Cameo Lavenderxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Cameo Lavenderxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Large light purple-colored flowers.
2. Fully double flower form.
3. Freely flowering habit.
4. Flowers positioned above the foliage.
5. Compact, mounded and spreading plant habit.
6. Rapid growth rate.
7. Freely branching habit.
8. Large rounded dark green leaves; densely foliated.
In addition to flower color, plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the male parent, the selection DB Lavender, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more compact than plants of the selection DB Lavender.
2. Leaves of plants of the new Impatiens are more rounded than leaves of plants of the selection DB Lavender.
3. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of the selection DB Lavender.
4. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are sterile whereas flowers of plants of the selection DB Lavender produce pollen.
In addition to flower color, plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the female parent, the selection SD White, in the following characteristics:
1. Leaves of plants of the new Impatiens are larger than leaves of plants of the selection SD White.
2. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of the selection SD White.
3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are fully double whereas flowers of plants of the selection SD White are semi-double.
4. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are sterile whereas flowers of plants of the selection SD White are fertile.
The new Impatiens can be compared to the Impatiens walleriana cultivar Lavender Orchid, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,615. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Lavender Orchid in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens and plants of the cultivar Lavender Orchid differ in flower color, 73A and 81C, respectively.
2. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are larger and have more petals than flowers of plants of the cultivar Lavender Orchid.
3. Leaves of plants of the new Impatiens are larger than leaves of plants of the cultivar Lavender Orchid.
4. Plants of the new Impatiens are more mounded and spreading than plants of the cultivar Lavender Orchid which tend to be more upright in plant habit.